Natural Mexican Fire Opal Cabochons
- Fire Opal from the TowerCrystals internet collection
Opal is a mineral found in both common and precious form.
Opal has high water content which causes the range of colors from red, orange, yellow, green, blue, magenta, teal, and purple. Opal exhibiting red flash is the most valuable. Red is the most unusual of all mineral colors.
Opal can form or replace fossils, and opallized tree branches have been found in the opal deposits of oregon. Many of the opal specimens from Australia are pieces of replaced clam shell fossils.
Mexican Fire Opal is a form of gel opal, most commonly found still in matrix and then carved into cabochons and free forms. Gel Fire opal is extremely valuable and rare. Andes Opal from Peru is a colorful form of common opal in various shades of blue, and sometimes pink. The top quality Andes Opal is also translucent.
Fire Opal Gallery